by Robert Boren
“Here they come,” Kaitlyn said. “On my side. Let’s just open the window and talk. It’s too cold to get out.”
“I need to get out for another reason.”
She giggled. “Oh. You men can’t hold it as long.”
“True. Roll down your window. We’ll talk first.”
She reached to the dash and hit the button. Seth turned up the heater a little bit.
“How are you two holding up?” Kaitlyn asked, as Angel pulled beside them in the Jeep.
“Okay,” Angel said.
“I’m starting to calm down, finally,” Megan said. “We going to stay here tonight?”
“No,” Seth said. “It’s too cold here. We need to get to a motel or something.”
“Yeah, dude,” Angel said. “If we stay on Highway 79, it curves around towards San Diego. It’s the back-way in.”
“You aren’t suggesting we try to get into San Diego tonight, are you?” Kaitlyn asked.
“No way,” Angel said.
“Yeah, I’m way too tired for that,” Megan said.
“They’d keep us up half the night doing interrogations before they’d let us in,” Seth said. “You have someplace in mind, don’t you, Angel?”
“Yeah, my cousin lived in a place called Jamul. Nice little town. There’s motels there.”
“Lots of tribal folks around there, you know,” Kaitlyn said.
“Is that a problem?” Seth asked.
“Some of them don’t like white boys with Indian girls,” Megan said.
Angel snickered. “Yeah, dude, you are pretty white.”
“Funny ha ha,” Seth said. “James and Tyler and the others didn’t mind.”
“They know you’re trustworthy,” Kaitlyn said. “They know you’re a warrior. They respect you.”
“Hey, dude, don’t worry about it,” Angel said. “You just stay in the car, I’ll get the rooms.”
Kaitlyn giggled. “Yeah, that’s the least of our problems. Let’s go. How long will it take?”
“Well, if you guys wouldn’t have led us so far into the wilderness here, it would take less time,” Megan said.
“Sorry,” Kaitlyn said. “We were talking. We kinda lost ourselves.”
“A lot of that going around,” Angel said.
“Shut up,” Megan said.
Kaitlyn looked at Seth’s phone, which was still in her hand. She input the pin number.
“Hey, that’s not yours,” Megan said. “You don’t have an iPhone.”
“It’s Seth’s.”
“And he gave you the pin?” Angel asked. “That man is in love.”
“Shut up,” Kaitlyn said. “What was the town we passed before we crossed under I-8?”
“Descanso,” Seth said.
“Thanks,” Kaitlyn said, moving her fingers on the screen. “Perfect. It’s just over a half hour from there.”
“Thank God,” Megan said. “Let’s go.”
“I got to pee,” Angel said.
“Great minds think alike, man,” Seth said. Angel nodded and pulled up in front of Seth so he could get his door open. He joined Seth, and they walked out of sight for a moment. Kaitlyn and Megan got out.
“Crap, it’s cold out here,” Megan said, stamping her feet to stay warm.
“Seriously. Think we should try?”
“Oh, I guess,” she said. “I don’t want to get out of sight of the Jeeps.”
“What if the guys see?” Kaitlyn asked.
“I don’t care, and besides, they wouldn’t see much. It’s dark out here.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Kaitlyn said. “I’m just going behind our Jeep.”
“Okay,” Megan said, following her. They were done in a moment.
“They’re talking,” Kaitlyn said. “Boys are usually faster than that.”
“What kept you guys on this road so long?”
“Oh, you know,” Kaitlyn said.
“Angel wants to disappear and take me with him,” Megan whispered. “I like the idea. Is that bad?”
Kaitlyn nodded, brow furrowed.
“Shit, Seth too?”
Kaitlyn nodded yes, on the verge of tears.
“What do you think about that idea?” Megan asked. “Could you leave the fight? Leave our people?”
Kaitlyn started to cry.
“Oh, honey, I’m sorry,” Megan said. “Do you not want it, or does he not really want it?”
“I’m not crying about Seth,” Kaitlyn said. “We might not have a tribe to go back to.”
“Angel thinks James, Tyler, Zac, and some of the others escaped. You heard what Trevor was saying on the call.”
“I’m afraid the enemy knows about the other location,” Kaitlyn said.
“That thought has crossed my mind. What about us? What about you two? Seth isn’t feeling trapped, is he?”
Kaitlyn chuckled through her tears. “I was trying to lay my cards on the table before we stopped. It was an intense conversation. That’s why we kept going on this stupid road.”
“Well?”
“We’ll talk more on the way to Jamul,” she said. “I literally can’t wait to get back into that conversation.”
“I’ve never seen you like this,” Megan said.
Kaitlyn wiped the tears from her eyes. “Just the thought of him makes me feel better.”
“I know that feeling,” Megan said.
“Here they come.”
“Good,” Megan said. “You didn’t tell me what you thought. About leaving the tribe.”
“I’m going to be with this man for the rest of my life,” she whispered. “I just hope that our lives last more than a few hours.”
“You two ready to go?” Angel asked.
“Took you a while,” Megan said.
“Sorry,” Seth said. “Didn’t think you guys were getting out of the car.”
“We decided to do the same thing you were doing,” Kaitlyn said. “Let’s go.”
“Yeah,” Megan said. “I’m cold. I want to get back in the car.”
“Why don’t you take the lead, Angel?” Seth said. “You know this town, right?”
“Been a few years, but yeah,” Angel said.
The two couples got back in their Jeeps.
“Now, where were we?” Kaitlyn asked, as Seth did a K-turn and followed Angel down the dirt road.
“Sure you want to get back into that conversation?”
“Yes,” Kaitlyn said. “Do you mind?”
“No, it’s cool. Go ahead. You were saying you were afraid of yourself, and that we had to say some things out loud to make it real.”
“Wow, do you have a tape recorder in your brain?” she asked.
“You looked like you’d been crying when we got back.”
“I’m afraid the tribe won’t survive,” Kaitlyn said. “Let’s stay on the subject at hand, though, okay?”
“Aren’t the two topics related?”
She was silent for a moment. “They might end up being, but I’m not letting the purity of this conversation evaporate before we’re done. As important as the tribe is, it’s a side issue right now.”
“Okay,” Seth said. “I know what you’re trying to get out, and I understand why it’s hard. As we’ve reminded ourselves over and over, we’ve only just met.”
“That doesn’t bother you, though, does it?”
“No, I feel like we’ve known each other for a while, because we’ve spent so many hours talking. I laid my cards on the table earlier tonight, or at least I thought I did.”
She smiled at him. “No, I laid out what I thought were your cards, and you just said yes. Then we were done.”
“Fair enough. True.”
“You looked really nervous saying yes,” she said. “You tried to qualify it, remember?”
“No, I didn’t try to qualify it, I was just afraid you weren’t ready for that yet,” Seth said.
“Yes, and I told you not to tell me what I’m ready for.”
“You di
d. The conversation scared you too much, though. That’s why I didn’t pursue it further. We’ve had enough scary stuff happen tonight.”
“You wanted to pursue it further?”
“We’re talking in circles,” Seth said, looking over at her for a moment.
“Watch the road,” she said softly.
“You’re getting scared again now,” Seth said. “Okay, you say cards on the table. I’ll go first. I’m in love with you. Here’s what I want. You. Forever. I won’t get tired of you. Ever. I want to settle down with you and make babies, and then I want to watch them grow up. I want to grow old with you by my side.” He paused for a moment, trying to look at her, the road not helping. “Do you understand what I just said?”
She was quiet for a moment, her body starting to shake.
“You’re crying,” Seth said softly. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t tell me you’re sorry,” she said. “I’m an emotional girl, in case you haven’t noticed. You’re going to have to get used to that.”
“I’m already used to it,” Seth said. “Do you understand now?”
She nodded yes, not looking at him.
“You don’t look okay,” he said.
“I’m about to do something that I never thought I’d do.”
Seth looked at her and started to say something, but she shook her head no.
“It’s my turn now,” she said softly. “I am completely, deeply in love with you. I’m willing to follow you anywhere. If you want to get back into the fight, I’m there. If you want to disappear and make babies someplace, that’s okay too.”
They were both silent for a moment.
“I don’t expect you to just follow me,” Seth said. “Your hopes and dreams are every bit as important as mine are. If your dream is to raise children in your tribe and be part of that community, I’ll be there with you.”
“I know that,” she said. “We don’t have to decide that now. Like I said, I have my doubts that the tribe will survive, and I don’t want to lose our lives trying to get back to them. Not now.” She began to cry again.
“I’d never keep you from your people.”
“I know,” she said, “and I love that about you. Really. I’m willing… no, I want to put everything behind what we have. You and me. If we both decide that getting back into the fight is our best path, that’s what we’ll do, but if we just want to chuck it all and be together, then that’s our path. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” Seth said. “So, what now? People who feel this way about each other usually get married.”
“They do,” she said. “How do you feel about that idea?”
“I want it,” Seth said. “Geez, never thought I’d get there. Marriage always scared me. It doesn’t with you.”
She smiled. “I’m not really a traditional girl.”
“You don’t have special Indian wedding ceremonies and all that?” Seth asked.
“Well, yeah, we do, but I’m not willing to wait for that,” she said. “Are you?”
“It wouldn’t be my first choice,” Seth said, “but I’ll do whatever it takes to have you. Except maybe that hanging by the skin thing.”
Kaitlyn laughed. “Wrong tribe. Don’t worry.”
“Good,” Seth said, rubbing his chest. “Didn’t look like fun in the movie.”
“Stop,” she said. “You won’t have problems being married to an Native American?”
“Will you have problems being married to a white boy?”
She thought about it for a moment. “You don’t seem different than me. Maybe two hundred years ago it was different. Not now.”
“That’s how I feel,” Seth said. “We both grew up in southern California. That’s the culture we belong to, really, and it’s a total melting pot.”
“That’s for sure,” Kaitlyn said. “I’ve dated white men a couple of times. In college.”
“Well, you’re my first Native American.”
She chuckled. “What will your parents think if you show up with an Indian bride?”
“It’s only my dad now, and he’ll just be glad to know I’m alive.”
“He doesn’t know where you are?”
“No, and I’m not sure where he is. He was in the service. Last I heard he was stationed in Alabama. We aren’t close. He and my mom divorced when I was young. My mom passed a few years ago. Cancer.”
“Oh,” she said. “I’m so sorry.”
“I miss her. She would’ve liked you.”
“I hope so,” she said. “This is weird. Things are different now. We’re different now.”
“You’re right,” Seth said. “I’m feeling it too. Maybe this is how couples feel when they get engaged.”
“Maybe when they get engaged this quickly,” Kaitlyn said. “We’re not really engaged, though. We just talked about it.”
“Will you marry me?” Seth asked.
“Oh, geez,” she said. “I’m gonna start crying again.”
“Go ahead, but answer me first.”
“Yes. Of course, yes,” she said. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” Seth said. “Wow, I’m trembling.”
“Scared?”
“Excited and happy,” he said. “How do you feel?”
“I feel like pulling over,” she said. “I know, it’s so naughty.”
“Oh, geez, there’s that part too,” he said. “This is so strange. It’s the part that would normally be up front in my mind. It’s been there, but it’s really hitting me now.”
“Hitting you how?” She smiled at him.
“We’d better not talk about that right now,” Seth said. “I’m trying to keep this thing on the road.”
Angel slammed on his brakes and turned off his lights.
“Oh no, what’s going on?” Kaitlyn asked.
Seth turned off his lights and stopped behind Angel. His phone dinged. Kaitlyn picked it up and input Seth’s pin.
“Somebody driving an off-roader on the next ridge, shining a spotlight around,” she read off the screen. “Angel thinks he got his lights off in time. Megan saw them when they got around that little hill there.”
“Ten to one they’ve seen us,” Seth said.
“Don’t open your car door,” Kaitlyn said. “The dome light will come on.”
“Yeah, I figured that’s why he sent the text. Can you reach the guns?”
“I think so,” she said, turning. “Yeah, I can reach the M60 and my AK.”
The phone dinged again.
“What’d he say?”
“The vehicle went back behind the ridge. They’re out of sight.”
“Crap, I wish we had a good trail map. There might be a way to get onto this road from that ridge.
“He said the guy has been gone for a few minutes now,” Kaitlyn said. “We can get out if we’re quick about it.”
Seth nodded, watching Megan and Angel slip out of their vehicles. He and Kaitlyn joined them.
“What do you think?” Seth asked. “Think they’re bad guys?”
“Yeah,” Angel said.
“I see the road they came from,” Megan said, showing her phone. “There’s a dirt road that comes off I-8. They’re probably wondering why we haven’t shown up yet.”
“Shit, they were listening to our phone conversation,” Angel said. “It might not be safe to get back on Highway 79.”
“They probably saw us,” Seth said, “before Megan saw them. It’s pitch black out here. Headlights show for miles.”
“I don’t think so,” Megan said. “There’s no way to get on this road from where they are. They’d have to go out to Highway 79 and come in the same way we did. It’s not a short drive. Look.” She held her phone out to the others.
“So what do we do?” Kaitlyn asked.
“Think you can drive with no lights on?” Seth asked.
“I don’t know, dude. Maybe, but what if they’re waiting for us on the highway?”
“We’ll be in more trouble if it�
��s light,” Kaitlyn said. “I say we drive towards the highway without lights, but get out before that last bend and walk to where we can see.”
“Yeah, and we’re taking the M60s,” Seth said.
“And our AKs,” Kaitlyn said.
Chapter 15 – Ammo Run
Gil parked the blue coach in the cow pasture at the ranch, between the red coach and the gray coach.
“Why here?” Tisha asked. “There’s more room over there.”
“My friends are in the coaches on either side,” Gil said. “C’mon.”
They went out the door, into the cool darkness. Robbie and Morgan were there to greet them, Justin and Katie following a moment later.
“You made it!” Robbie said. “Any problems on the road?”
“Not a one,” Gil said. “You remember Tisha, right?”
“Of course,” Robbie said. Morgan smiled at her.
“Hey, brother,” Justin said.
“Hi, Gil,” Katie said. “Hi, Tisha.”
“Hi yourself,” Tisha said, smiling, getting closer to Gil.
“Who’s still out there?” Gil asked.
“Only Tex’s coach and Ted’s coach,” Robbie said.
“Should we be worried?” Tisha asked.
“Tex’s coach was last to leave,” Justin said. “Ted should’ve been here by now, though. Something might have happened. I saw Jules and Sparky running into their rig a little while ago.”
“If it were bad, we’d know about it already,” Morgan said.
Robbie nodded. “Probably. Might have just been a call from Ivan.”
“Hope so,” Tisha said. “We’re still in danger.”
“I know,” Morgan said. “I’m scared all the time. If the enemy gets us back, we won’t live long.”
“They aren’t going to get you back,” Robbie said.
Morgan pointed towards the driveway. “Look, here comes another coach. Can’t see the color yet.”
“It’s yellow,” Robbie said. “That’s Tex’s coach.”
It parked a few spaces away from them, and the door burst open. Alexis ran down the steps, stopping in front of the group, looking around, trying to get her bearings. She was trembling.
“Alexis, what’s wrong?” Morgan called out.
“She’s gone,” Alexis said. She ran out into the pasture, towards a stand of trees on the far border.
“Dammit,” Morgan said, getting up. She ran, trying to catch Alexis. Katie got up.